The fate of the 46 Colleges of Education still hangs in the balance as the leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) says it doesn’t expect anything short of the group’s expectation from the ongoing negotiations.
With negotiations between CETAG and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), as well as the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) expected to be significantly concluded tomorrow, Friday, January 11, the leadership of CETAG is highly expectant of a “positive outcome.”
After calling off their strike action which led to a shutdown of the 46 Colleges of Education, CETAG returned to the negotiation table with the FWSC and NCTE, with the aim of reaching a deal on its demands for interim market premium, and book and research allowance.
Without a positive deal, the teachers fear they may have to resume their strike.
“We are always very positive, but if our expectation is not met we won’t shy away from stating our position,” President of CETAG, Prince Obeng-Hima, told ADR Daily.
Asked about what arrangement would be acceptable by them, he said “for now we don’t want to be like doomsday prophets. We always want to give anybody we meet 100 per cent of our trust.”
The outcome of the negotiations, which was at the instance of the National Labour Commission, is expected on impact on the restructured academic calendar for the Colleges which resumes on January 13, 2019.
The negotiation was agreed upon by the parties as a condition for the calling off the prolonged strike by CETAG on December 3, 2018.
CETAG gave the government up to the end of October last year to institute ‘market premium and book and research allowance’ for its members.
Due to the inability of both parties to reach a consensus during the negotiation of the market premium and book and research allowance, CETAG on October 29, 2018 declared an indefinite strike.
They said in a statement that their decision was based on failure to reach an agreement with the government on Interim Market, Book and Research Allowance for members of CETAG, after a three month period of failed negotiations.
After the strike travelled beyond the 21-day threshold, the 46 Colleges were shut down, disorganizing the academic calendar
On December 3, the National Labour Commission ordered the teachers to call off the strike, and directed the parties to return to the negotiation table.
By Benjamin Nana Appiah/adrdaily.com
